UNCF General Scholarship
Offered by UNCF (United Negro College Fund)
About This Scholarship
UNCF is the nation's largest private scholarship provider to minority students, and its General Scholarship is the organization's broadest annual award. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has helped more than 550,000 students earn college degrees, and today it distributes more than $62 million each year to students at over 600 schools, including its 36 member historically Black colleges and universities.
The General Scholarship is a need-based award for students enrolled full-time at a UNCF member institution. Applicants complete one application through the UNCF scholarship portal, which also matches them against hundreds of other UNCF-administered programs — donor-funded awards, STEM programs, and emergency aid among them. Selection weighs verified financial need documented through the FAFSA.
Applications for the 2026-2027 cycle run on a long window, from late April 2026 through the end of March 2027, so students at member HBCUs can apply at nearly any point in the academic year. Awards are made for a single year; students reapply annually.
Eligibility
- Enrolled full-time at a UNCF member college or university
- Pursuing a bachelor's, graduate, doctoral, or professional degree
- Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
- Demonstrated, verified financial need (FAFSA on file)
How To Apply
- Create a profile on the UNCF scholarship portal at opportunities.uncf.org
- Complete every step of the application, including all required essays, before the March 31, 2027 close
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to attend an HBCU to get a UNCF scholarship?
The General Scholarship is limited to students at UNCF's member institutions, most of which are HBCUs, but many other UNCF-administered programs are open to students at any accredited four-year school. One portal application covers you for both.